SasuSaku Month 2012
by marshmallowfairies
Summary: My unimaginatively named collection of one shots for SasuSaku month 2012. There is a mix of AU, OOC-ness, reversal of who likes who and traditional SasuSaku in here, as well as mix of themes with some fluff, angst, etc... I hope you enjoy! :D Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I only own the content of these one shots.
1. Conversation

Conversation

Every morning, she would arrive at the time arranged by Kakashi-sensei to find Sasuke already there. Naruto was always five minutes late and Kakashi-sensei could be anything from fifteen minutes to four hours late.

But these five minutes were precious to Sakura. Time where it was just her and Sasuke- it meant the world to her. Every morning, she would try to initiate a conversation- bid him a good morning, ask how he was. His answers were always brief and he never reciprocated any of her enquiries. On days of greater desperation, she would remark on the weather, or hazard a guess at just how late Kakashi would be that day. He only ever grunted an acknowledgement that he had heard these comments.

And so, while these conversations were brief, they were important to Sakura because although he spoke little, she could learn more about him from the few things he said, the way in which he answered, or his body language, and this helped her to feel a little closer to him.

And although she didn't know it, these conversations were important to Sasuke too. They were his first interaction with someone each day, his first exchange with anyone since leaving his team after the previous day of training.

These conversations meant the world to him too.


	2. Hostage

Hostage

When she came to, Sakura was aware of lying on something very comfortable, of being covered in a blanket, and of being watched. She once again looked into those onyx eyes and immediately sat up, pushing herself further away.

"Good morning," he muttered, smirking.

"What happened to them? What happened to the scroll?" she demanded, panic setting in for her team mates.

He looked amused. "I had no interest in the scroll, or in them, for that matter. They completed their mission. Don't worry," he added, "they put up a fight for you but we were too strong for them. They got back to Konoha- I imagine they'll have reported what happened and a rescue mission will be organised."

She didn't understand his amusement. Was he playing games? "Why did you take me?" she asked, her confusion evident in her voice.

"The Leaf took Karin. I had to replace my healer. Why not take the best?"

Sakura inwardly cursed as she flushed at the compliment. She was far from the best, and she also had no intention of being his replacement. He seemed to guess her thoughts.

"You will be on my team," he told her, standing up. "I've already made that decision."

He was walking away from her, and her fury was mounting. She was the only one who would be making decisions about what she would do with her life. Gathering chakra in her hand, she jumped to her feet and rushed at his back. He disappeared in a flash and her blow destroyed the door that he had been about to open. The blade of his katana was pressed against her throat and she heard him chuckle, his breath tickling her neck.

"Oh, how times change. You once begged me to take you with me. Now that I have, you're desperate to go home. Does this mean that your heart belongs more to the village now than to me?"

Sakura was taking deep breaths. She had no way to relieve her anger, trapped by his body and his blade. Her fist clenched.

On receiving no reply, Sasuke continued, "You're staying here, either on my team or as a hostage, your choice."

She gritted her teeth, closing her eyes. Her clenched fist shook slightly. She could see no way out of this.

Sasuke sighed, whispering in her ear, "Hostage it is then."


	3. Rebel

Rebel

Eyes were on her as soon as she stepped into the grounds. She hadn't wanted to draw this much attention on her first day at her new school.

She started to wish she'd worn a slightly longer skirt, slightly shorter socks, that she'd buttoned the white blouse all the way to the top and done her tie more tightly. She wished all of this not because she thought she would look smarter- she actually thought that the uniform looked rather ostentatious when worn properly- but because that was the way every other child at this school wore it, and perhaps she wouldn't be attracting any attention if she was dressed the same. "Don't be silly," she reminded herself, "there would still be my hair." Self-consciously, she ran a hand through the pink locks as she tried to find her classroom, amid all the whispering that she could hear about her appearance. One word was cropping up more than any other. Rebel. She smiled to herself, wondering what they would think when they found out that she was actually a straight-A student, and had been on the student council at every school that she had attended.

She found room 108, the door already open and entered. Instantly, all the chatter stopped and then the whispering started. The teacher approached with a book in his hand. "Sakura Haruno?" he enquired. She nodded. "I'm Iruka-sensei. This is the textbook that you'll need for this class," he told her, handing her the book. "You can choose your seat. There are a few available, several at the front, as you can see..." he tailed off.

Sakura scanned the room and was surprised to find one pair of eyes not on her. A boy with raven hair and onyx eyes stared out the window, looking bored, apparently not the least bit aware of a new student causing such a fuss with his classmates. She noticed the desk next to his was free.

"Actually sensei," she grinned, "I'm not really a front-of-the-class kind of girl." And with that, she made a beeline for the desk next to this unusual boy.

Sasuke was aware of many eyes looking in his direction and turned to find a girl with bright pink hair and emerald green eyes beaming at him. "Hi, I'm Sakura Haruno."

Sasuke stared at this quirky girl, aware of the dead silence that had fallen in the room, all eyes on them. She clearly had no reservations and seemed to be enjoying causing such controversy among these dreary people. Perhaps this was an opportunity for him to rebel against all the expectations that people had of him. He smiled. "Sasuke Uchiha."


	4. Lick

Lick

Sasuke walked contentedly out of the shop, ice-cream in hand. It was a hot day in Konoha and almost every child had an icicle or ice-cream of some sort to cool them down. He watched the girl with the pink hair gazing at all her peers, her face lighting up as she ran into the shop. Through the window, he saw her talking to the shopkeeper, reaching into her pocket for her money and her face falling as she realised that she didn't have enough. The shopkeeper walked away to serve his next customer as she, crestfallen, gathered her pennies from the counter and walked back onto the street. Eyes on her feet, she walked to a bench, perching herself on it, drawing her legs into her chest and resting her head on her knees.

Sasuke looked at his ice-cream then back at the disappointed girl. Sighing, he made his way over to the bench and sat next to her. She didn't move at all.

"Here," he said, holding the ice-cream towards her. "You can have some of mine."

The girl raised her head, her green eyes blinking in surprise. "R-really?" she asked.

"Yeah," he muttered. "You must be really hot." When she didn't move, he frowned slightly, "Go on! Have some!"

The girl leaned forward uncertainly, then quick as a flash, stuck out her little pink tongue and licked some of the ice-cream. She smiled but he continued to frown. "Well, that wasn't very much. Have some more." So the girl licked the ice-cream again, and then a third and a fourth time, continuing to do so until the boy returned her smile. He too licked the ice-cream before turning to the girl. "What's your name?" he asked.

"S-Sakura," she stammered shyly.

The boy smiled again. "I'm Sasuke," he told her, hopping off of the bench. "It was nice to meet you." And with one last smile, he turned away.

"Thanks for sharing your ice-cream with me!" she called after him in a sudden burst of confidence and she heard him chuckle as he walked away before she too hopped off the bench, running to find Ino and the girls so she could tell them about Sasuke, the boy she liked.


	5. Harvest

Harvest

There was an annual D-rank mission in Konoha to gather the ripened crops. The harvest was considered to be a treat for all in the village- little supervision was required from the senseis and the Genins were usually awarded bonuses for their efforts.

Sasuke had little interest in extra money for such an inconsequential mission. He did not push himself, collecting the crops with little effort. At least, until the blonde appeared...

"Hey Sasuke, is that all you've collected? That's pathetic! Look at mine! Think of how much ramen I'll be able to buy with my bonus!"

Sasuke grunted. "Like I care about that!"

"Oh," Naruto sneered. "Not taking kindly to losing, genius, are we?"

The vein in Sasuke's forehead began to throb slightly. "Well loser, if that's how you wanna go..."

And as usual, they were at each other's sides, tearing the field apart in their quest to outdo one another, until they were racing towards their team mate. They both stopped dead.

Illuminated by the setting sun, Sakura was surrounded by a golden glow. She crouched over her basket, adding more crops to it, then straightened, stretching her arms and back as she did so, her pink hair shimmering. Both Sasuke and Naruto were enchanted.

"Sakura!" Naruto called, seizing the opportunity to woo her. Sasuke reacted so fast, he surprised even himself. He elbowed Naruto with such force that the blonde toppled sideways and disappeared among the crops that had not yet been gathered.

"Naruto?" Sakura murmured, turning then blinking in surprise before beaming. "Sasuke! Is-is something wrong?"

Sasuke smirked and approached her. "The sun's setting. We should head back with our baskets." He reached and picked her one up before she could. "You collected a lot. I'll carry it for you." Her cheeks flushed and she murmured her thanks, as they fell into step with one another to head back.

Sasuke's smirk remained on his face as he thought to himself with great satisfaction, 'Looks like I win after all, loser!'


	6. Quarantine

Quarantine

She stood behind the one-way mirror, looking in at him. He sat on the bed unmoving, until he raised his head as though looking at her.

"It was foolish to send you. I can recognise your chakra from miles away."

Sakura stiffened but did not speak. It would make no difference if she did. He wouldn't be able to hear her.

"Sakura," he spoke again. "How long do I have to stay in here?"

She hesitated before approaching the door and opening the small flap, green eyes meeting obsidian for the first time in many years. "I don't know," she answered after a moment. "You've come back from the brink of insanity. They need to see if you're balanced enough to cope in isolation."

Sasuke contemplated her words. "And if they decide I'm balanced? What then?"

"They'll assess you in an interrogation, I imagine. I really don't know all the details- there will be a lot of assessment though." She wished she could give him more adequate answers but Sasuke nodded and seemed content.

"Thank you Sakura. You've made this quarantine a little more bearable." She said nothing, merely holding his gaze for a moment before closing the flap. She noted through the one-way mirror that he did not look surprised by her actions.

Settling herself by the opposite wall, she wondered if she'd blown it everything by simply talking to him. If he was accepted but then went on to betray the village, would it be all her fault?

But deep down, she knew that she could never have stopped herself from speaking to him, at least knowing that he knew she was there. She reflected on her words to him many years ago. That although she had friends and family, if he left, to her it would be the same as being all alone. It was the same now- although she was always surrounded by people, although she was free to interact with her friends and family, with him in quarantine, it felt as though she were too.


	7. Teacher

Teacher

Sasuke often told Sakura that she was a brilliant teacher. She'd always just smile at him when he said this, reminding him that it was her job to teach the upcoming genin who wanted to learn medical ninjutsu. And he would always just smile in return because it was easier to let her think that was what he meant rather than struggle to find the words that he really wanted to say...

Sasuke had watched as Sakura helped and encouraged Ino to master a difficult medical ninjutsu, despite her friend yelling at her in frustration the entire time.

He had watched her teach Naruto to rationalise during battle and not to always dive in without thinking, something that neither Kakashi-sensei nor Master Jiraya had ever been able to do.

He had watched her help Hinata to believe in herself, to have faith that she was perfectly capable of, one day, leading her clan.

He had watched her as she had taught many of her friends- lessons about medical skills, about battles, about life and about themselves. And she didn't even realise the impact that she had.

Most importantly for Sasuke, however, were the lessons that she had taught him. She had taught him that even the greatest of sins could be forgiven, that true love could last through the greatest of challenges, that in the determination to achieve one goal, many accomplishments could also be achieved. She had taught him that it was ok to love and be hurt, that love could come more than once in a lifetime. She had taught him that history would not necessarily repeat itself, that cycles could be broken and that new paths could be ventured.

So Sasuke smiled and admired all of these things silently. Sakura- his team mate, his wife, his teacher.


	8. Dare

Dare

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth!"

"Um," Hinata nervously tapped her fingers together, wanting to come up with a good question. "Who- who do you l-like?"

Sakura beamed, her cheeks glowing pinker than her hair. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed, while Ino sighed in irritation.

"Like that's news," she snapped, then turned to Hinata. "Who do you like?"

Hinata's cheeks turned scarlet and she bowed her head, trying to avoid answering. This only peaked all of their curiosity, making them even more determined to get an answer from her. She was spared from having to do so by the arrival of a Hyuuga requesting that she accompany him home immediately for training with her Father. Standing up, she bowed politely to the group before hurrying to join the other Hyuuga, her cheeks still slightly flushed.

Ino sighed again. "This is getting boring. If no-one's going to pick dare, I'm going home!" she stated boldly. None of the girls wanted her to leave but all were reluctant to choose dare, fearing the task that they might be given. As Ino turned to leave, Sakura spoke up.

"I'll do a dare, Ino!"

The whole group turned to her in surprise. She used to be so shy that she wouldn't speak at all. Now she was the only one of them prepared to do a dare. Ino grinned mischievously.

"Alright then, Sakura. I dare you to leave flowers on Sasuke's doorstep."

Sakura's eyes widened in fear. "Ino, I can't do that!" she replied, shocked.

"You have to," her friend told her simply. "Otherwise you'll have to do something worse."

And so, an hour later, standing outside the Uchiha compound with all of the girls behind her and a bouquet in her hand, Sakura knew that she had no choice but to see this through. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward uneasily, willing her feet to keep moving one in front of the other. Reaching the door, she gulped before crouching and laying the flowers on the door step.

"Ring the bell," Ino hissed from behind a tree.

Hesitantly, she reached up and rang the bell then stood unmoving.

"Sakura, he's not supposed to see you! Run!" her friend's voice rang out again. Coming to her senses, Sakura hurried away and out of sight.

On opening the front door, Sasuke was surprised to find no-one there, then even more so to spot a head of pink hair disappearing around a corner. Looking down, he noticed the flowers lying on the door step. Smirking, he picked them up and took them inside.


	9. Bravado

Bravado

"Sasuke!"

"Sasuke!"

"You can sit next to me, Sasuke!"

Their whiney voices penetrated his ears as soon as he entered the room. He glanced around the classroom- all of the girls were looking at him adoringly, the guys glaring as though he had done them some wrong. Only one of his classmates did not spare him their attention. The pink-haired girl had her nose buried in a book, green eyes rapidly gliding over the text.

As though he was oblivious to all in the room, he made his way to the desk diagonally behind hers. She gave no indication that she was aware of this at all. It annoyed him, though he did not show it, that all of the girls in this class made a constant bid for his attention and the only who had his happened to be the only one who didn't seem to take any notice of him.

He spent the morning trying to think of how he could make her take notice. When the bell sounded for break, she was the first to gather her things and leave the room, eager to prepare for her next class. He immediately followed.

"Hi," he spoke from behind her locker door.

She looked around the door and her brows furrowed slightly, "Hi."

"So, Sakura," he looked away from her as he spoke, playing it cool, "I was thinking that you and I, maybe we should go out some time." Turning back to her, he was surprised to find her looking angry.

"Are you mocking me?" she demanded, one eyebrow raised.

"Wha- no!" he answered, baffled. '_What on Earth would make her think that?' _he wondered.

"You're so full of bravado, Sasuke!" she spat. "You've gone out with almost every girl in our class. You're not adding me to your list!" With that, she slammed her locker door and stormed away, leaving Sasuke absolutely stunned. He frowned. It looked like in order to prove himself to her, he would have to sacrifice his reputation, or bravado as she had called it. He would have to show her that he deserved her attention.


	10. Thunder

Thunder

With the first rumble of thunder, the atmosphere on the streets of Konoha changed. People hurried to get their messages finished before the storm really hit, others choosing to give them up altogether and leave them for another day. Sakura continued to dawdle home, smiling serenely to herself. She reached her house just as the first drops of rain began to fall, calling out to let her Mum know that she was home who in turn expressed relief that she was sheltered from the approaching storm.

Once in her bedroom, Sakura opened the window as the thunder rumbled again. She perched on her window sill, reaching her hand out and thinking of him. The raindrops splashed on her hand. She always thought of him during storms. They reminded her of his temperament. She wondered if the thunder was his anger, the rain his tears. She believed he was reaching out to her.

'_What's wrong Sasuke?_' she wondered, gazing intently out of the window. '_Do you need me now?_'

At that, she spotted the first flash of lightning. Of course, lightning was the reason that she had come to associate storms with him in the first place- it reminded her of his chidori. She shuddered to think who was on the receiving end of that chidori now, if they were.

And as the rumbles of thunder grew louder, the rain heavier, the flashes of lightning closer together, Sakura's emotions became as turbulent as the storm, as disturbed as she believed Sasuke's to be yet all directed at him. The peace that came with that initial rumble of thunder was lost until the arrival of the next storm.


	11. Laughter

Laughter

His maniacal laughter continued to echo in her head long after he had stopped laughing, long after the battle had ended, long after they had returned to the village. In her mind, it never stopped, forever reminding her that he had slipped out of their reach.

In the mission report that she relayed to her master, she neglected to mention it, although it was the sole detail that she was totally sure of. Lady Tsunade remarked on how distant she seemed but in responding that she was tired, Tsunade accepted her answer. Yet even her friends and family mentioned how absent she seemed during conversations. She always brushed it off, trying to focus more but still, that laughter remained, her constant and unwanted companion.

Even in her dreams, it continued. The image of him standing in the centre of that monster, shaking with that insane laughter which grew louder and louder until it consumed the dream, joined by more laughter, higher in pitch but just as crazed. And then Sakura woke up, arms around her head and hands clenching her hair. Tears streamed down her face and she realised that the screams of laughter had been her own, although now they were only screams. She bit down on the duvet until she regained enough composure to silence them, taking deep breaths.

Her door creaked open, "Sakura, are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a bad dream," she answered, wondering if the reason her voice sounded faint was because it was weak after her screaming or if it sounded quiet compared to the laughter still ringing in her mind. So as her Mum shut her bedroom door, Sakura turned to gaze out of her window to the moon. It was hard to concentrate on anything but she forced herself to contemplate.

'_Sasuke,_' she wondered, '_what caused such laughter? What pushed you over the edge of your sanity?_'


	12. Steel

Steel

Sasuke examined the steel blade of his katana. Today had been the first time in a long time that he had had the opportunity to use it outwith training. He had been able to prove, once more, that his sword was infallible.

So too were his emotions, he refelected. He had been outraged that a stranger had dared to bring up his former team mates in front of him. It was so impudent! And then they had appeared. He pictured Sakura's face when she had first realised that he was there; it told of all her emotions, unlike his own. For he was like his sword, his emotions were like steel- infallible. '_I would have killed her had it proved necessary,_' he assured himself. '_I would have killed her had that captain not jumped in to protect her._'

Running a hand along the blade, he paused. The metal was not smooth. Turning the weapon over, he noticed a chip in the surface. '_When?_' he wondered, eyes narrowed as he recalled the fight. '_Was it the captain?_' That seemed like the only logical explanation- that when he had sliced the kunai in half, the kunai, in turn, had managed to penetrate the steel blade. He sighed, internally acknowledging his relief that the captain had thrown himself in front of her.

After all, whether metal or otherwise, steel was not infallible.


	13. Hallucinate

Hallucinate

Naruto had always been the member of Team Seven to be susceptible to hallucinations. Not her. Not him.

And yet, when they faced each other on the battlefield, they both felt as though they were hallucinating- stood on opposite sides, staring.

'_No,_' Sasuke reminded himself as his Sharingan eyes confirmed the reality of his situation, '_my eyes cannot be fooled by Genjutsu. I don't hallucinate._'

'_No,_' Sakura reminded herself, studying her own chakra and acknowledging that there was no disturbance. '_I cannot be tricked by illusions anymore. I'm no silly little girl. I'm no longer just a rookie Genin._'

And so knowing that this was no hallucination, knowing that they had no choice but to enter into this battle filled with the intent to kill, Sasuke unsheathed his katana and Sakura drew her short sword. They raised their blades and flew into combat.


	14. Armour

Armour

Author's Note: I know the prompt is 'armor' but I'm using the UK English because, well, that's the English I use every day!

Sasuke watched the two sides clash from afar. He would only enter the fray when he felt that it was absolutely necessary to do so. This way, he would reserve his chakra. Susanoo may be the ultimate armour but it was extremely draining- if he was able to sustain it, he would be invincible.

A flash of pink caught his eye, distracting him from his thoughts. His former team mate seemed to be everywhere on the battlefield- healing her comrades one moment, attacking her enemies the next. She was fairly consistent in dodging attacks as well, he noted. He had heard that this ability was crucial for a medical ninja.

However, as he admired her skill, a kunai sailed towards one of the injured. Sakura had no time to move them so instead she threw herself in the path of the kunai, wincing as it stabbed her lower back. It appeared to be lodged there quite deeply as she dropped to her knees. After all, the extent of her armour was the thin mesh metal, worn by most ninjas, under her attire. It didn't provide very much protection.

He rushed towards her. He had always thought that it would be easy to watch her die, even to kill her himself. But seeing her hurt like that, considering the possibility that she might die before his eyes had caused him pain that no armour could protect him from.

Once he was close enough, he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and Susanoo, ensuring that she was within his protective barrier. Sensing the disturbance in chakra, she looked to him wearily and her eyes widened in surprise. "S-Sasuke," she struggled to say, "why?"

"I won't watch you being hurt, Sakura. I will be your armour."

Jade eyes held obsidian for a moment before Sakura's consciousness slipped from her. Sasuke gazed on her form, ascertaining that she was still breathing before turning his attention to those he was about to face in battle. He had been selfish to consider that Susanoo was just for him. His ultimate defence should be used to protect all that he loved.


	15. Blabbermouth

Blabbermouth

She was a blabbermouth. They all said it. After all, she had inadvertently revealed all of her friends' secret crushes. She had, on numerous occasions, warned the whole class of surprise questions on tests having overheard teachers discussing them, rather than keep such an advantage to herself. Sasuke wondered why anyone bothered telling Sakura anything that they wished to keep quiet anymore. Why didn't they learn?

"And tomorrow class, your parents will be coming in to share with us their experiences about being a ninja," Iruka-sensei informed his students with a beaming smile on his face.

The class erupted into excited chatter but Sasuke rested his chin on his arms, slouching over his desk. His parents wouldn't be there, he reflected. And seeing everyone else's parents would be depressing. Perhaps he wouldn't go in.

"Are you ok?"

Sasuke raised his head in surprise, finding Sakura standing next to his desk, looking concerned.

"Fine," he lied.

She slid into the seat next to his. "You can talk to me if there's something troubling you, you know. I'm a good listener."

Sasuke felt sceptical. Relating his tragic story to the class blabbermouth did not seem appealing. Yet there was something in her friendly smile and sympathetic expression that broke down his barriers, and he soon found himself telling his classmate his woeful tale, grateful that the room had already emptied. Sakura consoled him and promised that she wouldn't tell a soul. Sasuke mentally kicked himself for telling her of all people, not feeling comforted by her words. By tomorrow, his whole class would know the truth of the Uchiha tragedy; by the end of the week, the entire school.

And so Sasuke was surprised when there was no difference in the way he was treated by Sakura, or by anyone else in the following days. There were no changes in the way people looked at him; no whispering as he passed. He was also surprised to find that a number of his classmates didn't have parents come in to talk to the class, including that strange boy Naruto, or Sakura herself, whose parents were not ninjas.

When they graduated from the academy, still his secret was untold. And when their new teacher, Kakashi-sensei, asked to hear their ambitions, Sasuke noted how where Naruto looked shocked, Sakura betrayed no emotion. There was no shock or pity in her face- only understanding. And suddenly, it made sense to Sasuke why everyone continued to confide in Sakura despite her reputation. Because although she may have been a blabbermouth when it came to the small secrets, when it came to the big and important ones, there was no better confidante than Sakura.


	16. Shadows

Shadows

She stood in the centre of the clearing, pink hair flying in every direction as it was whipped by the wind, shadows dancing around her. Although he moved silently, she could _feel _him approaching before his strong arms enclosed her.

"I knew you would come," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the wind.

He closed his eyes, resting his head on her shoulder, a luxury he knew that he didn't deserve. That she allowed him to remain in that position for several minutes before turning to face him told him of her unchanged feelings.

His arms dropped to his sides as he straightened to look down at her. Her head was bowed, gazing at their feet. Placing his index finger under her chin, he tilted her head up, revealing the shadows under her eyes. His stomach clenched.

"I've caused you so much pain," he told her. She stared back at him and said nothing. "I'm sorry."

"Then take me with you," she requested, her voice full of hope.

"I can't do that, Sakura."

"Why not?" the girl demanded fiercely, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I'll be like your shadow. I'll always be there but not in your way. You'll only notice me if you need me!"

He looked down at her, full of guilt for what he had done; for how he had hurt her. He had no right to be loved by someone like her.

When she received no reply, she tried again, "Sasuke, I-"

She was cut off when he kissed her forehead, stunning her into silence. She closed her eyes, savouring the moment. But when the warmth disappeared, she opened her eyes to find that he had gone, leaving her alone once again with the dancing shadows.


	17. Younger

Younger

When they were younger, back in their Genin days, neither of them could have predicted just how different their lives would turn out to be. They had gone on all those missions and been through so much together, it had seemed back then that they were meant to be with each other.

When they were even younger, back when they first started at the academy, they both knew the love and support of a family. But where she had the privilege of that family support for her entire childhood, he was instead exposed to the grief that came with loss and the hatred that came with betrayal. And so while their paths were destined to join for a short time, it was always fated that they would divide again to break into very different directions.

When they were younger, life had seemed so simple. But as she gazed up at the night sky from her bedroom window, and he gazed up at the stars from the centre of the training field, they reflected on where their paths had led them to. The dreams and aspirations had all seemed so within reach in their younger days, but they had grown up and had realised that life was more complicated.

He wondered if she was thinking of him; she wondered if he was thinking of her; and they both wished that, just for a little while, they could go back to their younger, simpler years.

Author's Note: It was really strange. I'd written most of this one shot but wasn't very sure about the concept. Then I came across a SasuSaku amv which had a lot of subbed clips from episode 109 (when he left) and there were a lot of references to paths. It made me think I'd gone with the right idea. I hope you enjoyed :)


	18. Ghost

Ghost

He had thought that it would be easy to sever the few bonds that he had and to leave. There was the occasional memory of his sensei that would pester him when he used chidori. Sometimes he would find himself daydreaming about having some silly dispute with the blonde which would escalate into a ridiculous spar. But he found that these thoughts could be easily shaken away, and in time, they became less frequent. However, the pinkette had not been so easily escaped. She had haunted his dreams while she had lived, and so killing her had seemed like the only solution.

He had taken a lot of pleasure in her pleading with him not to do it, in her begging him to come back to the village with her. He had been mildly irritated that she only fought him half-heartedly, although he knew he would have defeated her anyway. It satisfied him when his blade plunged into her chest, piercing through her heart. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth and down her chin. He caught her bloodied form as she fell forward, rolling her over so that he could see her face.

"S-Sasuke..." she struggled, searching for his eyes but the light faded from her own before she could tell him the words that she'd wanted to say. He smiled before laying her body down, leaving it for one of her comrades to find.

And he left, knowing that he was free. Returning to his room, he placed his katana down, a hint of green flashing in the silver of the blade. He whipped around, searching for the source but could not find it. "S-Sakura?" he called out tentatively, but received no answer. Shaking his head, he decided that he was just fatigued and needed some sleep.

But he had been wrong. The ghost of her was everywhere he looked, the pink of her hair in the sky at dusk, her agility echoed in the shadows. And her voice haunted his mind constantly, praising him, scolding him and comforting him.

She had haunted him while she had lived. She haunted him in death. He could not escape her. Her ghost was everywhere.


	19. Messenger

Messenger

She strode through the poorly lit passages quickly, eyes gliding over the numbers carved into the stone wall before she found the one that she wanted. She stopped before the cell, gazing through the bars at its occupant.

He sat with his elbows propped on his knees, chin resting on interlaced fingers. His eyes met hers but for several moments, they merely looked at one another and said nothing. He raised an eyebrow and she knew it was inevitable that she would have to be the one to break the silence.

"It has been decided that you are too dangerous. You will be executed tomorrow."

His expression did not change as he responded, "I thought Naruto would have put up more of a fight for me than that."

"More people backed the Fifth Hokage than the Sixth. It came down to numbers," she replied, her voice void of emotion.

"And you, Sakura?" he asked.

She turned her back on him before answering, "I am not on the council. I don't get a say." She then looked over her shoulder to find him still looking at her. "I'm just the messenger."

Surprise flickered momentarily on his face and then there was a moment in which they both should have confessed all of their feelings for one another. But neither of them said a thing and the moment passed, with him dropping his eyes to the floor and her turning away once more to walk back up the passage. Tears spilled over, trailing their way down her cheeks.

'_Goodbye Sasuke._'


	20. Anticipation

Anticipation

She was full of anticipation, her eyes glued to the horizon. Though she waited as part of the large crowd that had gathered, she waited more keenly than anyone else. After all, she had the most to lose and the most to gain, and she would do both of these thing, regardless of the outcome.

And it was her eyes that first spotted the form drawing nearer, limping and looking decidedly battle worn. However, it took a little while longer before she could make the figure out. But then she noted the dark hair, the sheathed sword across his lower back, the obsidian eyes that, for once, revealed some form of regret.

Those eyes scanned the crowd, resting on her. He hesitated for a moment before walking towards her and she found that she was approaching him as well. She could hear the murmurs around her- tones of anger, disappointment and disgust- but she didn't care.

They stopped when they were a few feet apart and merely gazed at one another. And then he broke the silence.

"I lost my best friend today."

"Me too."

"My sword killed him."

"My burdens were to blame."

"I re-united with my love today."

Her breath hitched and he reached for her, his fingers trailing through her pink locks. She felt guilty, tears leaking from her eyes, desperately trying to remain composed so that she could respond to him.

"Snap," she squeaked.

They offered one another sad smiles before he pulled her closer to him. Only they could comfort one another in their grief.

She had waited in anticipation of a happy ending. She had waited in anticipation of a sad ending. And in the end, just as she anticipated, she got both.


	21. Duped

Duped

He laughed openly at her, mocking her as he dodged her fist once more. He couldn't deny the strength of her blows- he had watched her destroy much of the landscape around them during this battle already. But still, she was weak. She was mildly intelligent, he would credit her, yet hardly a genius. She had no particular area of expertise. '_Weak and pathetic,_' he thought smugly, '_just as she was back then._'

Another kunai sailed towards him and he knocked it away with his sword lazily, smirking as she gasped for breath. She was getting tired. It would be over soon. "Would you like me to kill you quickly?" he called out as though asking if she would like to take a walk with him.

Defiance and anger flashed in her eyes before her expression settled into one of determination. She reached to her belt and began to throw more kunai with small pink balls attached. '_Childish,_' he thought with a smirk.

He dodged them but allowed them to only just miss, convinced this would be more irritating to her. She drew one last kunai, this one with a paper bomb attached to it. He let out a chuckle. "As if!" he called. As he prepared to move, he noticed the sakura petals around his feet, then the small papers floating around him.

His eyes widened as he looked back at her, seeing that she had now released the kunai. '_Sakura blizzard technique,_' he remembered. He had not only seen this technique before but had fought alongside her when she had used it. And yet he had been duped by it, by this pathetic girl from his past. Sasuke was unable to move as he took in her satisfied smile.

Sakura spoke for the first time since they had started their battle. "Boom."


	22. Bawdy

Bawdy

She sat in between her two teammates, the one on her left silent while the one on her right was telling a story that was becoming bawdier by the second. She was grateful that with her head bowed, her pink locks hid the anger on her face.

As Naruto reached the end of his tale, he guffawed before slurping down the rest of his ramen. Sakura's irritation peaked. As his bowl hit the counter, she scraped her stool back, raising her arm, but then noticed the smirk lingering on Sasuke's face. She was shocked, hesitating for a moment before following through with her intended action. Her fist connected with the back of Naruto's head and he instantly reached his hands up to the already forming bump.

"Ow! What was-," Naruto began but cut himself off in shock as he watched her do the exact same thing to Sasuke. _To Sasuke!_

Sasuke's hands moved in the same way that Naruto's had but he remained silent, a hint of surprise in his eyes in spite of the scowl on his face.

"I'd have believed it of Naruto, but I had no idea _you _had such a bawdy sense of humour, Sasuke!" Sakura shouted before storming from the ramen stand.

The two boys stared after her in shock, still clutching at the throbbing bumps on their heads. Kakashi smirked behind his book, secretly pleased to find that Sasuke was just an ordinary teenage boy after all.


	23. Journey

Journey

Life is a journey. It was a motto that Sakura shared with all those around her. Some thought that she meant the things that she did; others believed that she referred to the places that she went; but what Sakura actually thought of was the people that she shared her life with.

Lying on her back and acknowledging that she had little time left, she thought of some of those people. Her parents would be heartbroken, losing their only child. Tsunade, she was sure, would be devastated but Sakura hoped that her master would get over it quickly. After all, she had dealt with loss many times before. Naruto would blame himself. It didn't matter that he had never once let her down. He would convince himself that he should have been with her, even though the idea was ridiculous. She smiled, thinking of all her friends back home and closed her eyes.

"Don't you... dare!" a breathless voice commanded.

Sakura opened her eyes, letting her head roll to the side to see Sasuke dragging himself towards her. It seemed to be taking a lot of effort for him and when he was close enough, she reached to him, a faint green light hovering at her fingertips. He closed a hand over her fingers and the light disappeared instantly. "It's too late," he told her. "Heal yourself."

She shook her head lightly. "It's too late," she whispered.

Their eyes moved towards the two dead ninja lying about ten metres away. Their comrades had left them, fearing their own deaths and not realising that their enemies were on the brink of death themselves.

"Sasuke," Sakura called lightly and his eyes were back on her instantly. "I'm glad I knew you. Because of you... I know what love is. Thank you... for being part of my journey."

Sasuke was stunned. She could barely breathe but she forced herself to tell him this. And he didn't have enough breath left to tell her of all his own feelings, to tell her how sorry he was.

He squeezed her hand, knowing that she would understand because she was Sakura, and that was part of who she was. "Let's start our new journey together."

She smiled and nodded weakly before letting her eyes close. They would end one journey and start another, but most importantly, they would do it together.


	24. Experience

Experience

"I'm afraid that you just don't have enough experience, Miss Haruno."

Sakura kept the smile plastered on her face, trying to maintain her professionalism while inside, she seethed with anger.

"Well, how am I supposed to get any experience when no-one will employ me without having any?" she asked.

The buxom blonde raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid you'll have to work that one out on your own. But I wish you the best of luck Miss Haruno." With that, they both stood up and shook hands, Sakura murmuring some thanks.

Once out of the building, Sakura could no longer contain her frustration, kicking a can on the ground and watching it make an arc through the air. She didn't hear as someone approached her.

"You should really learn to control your anger. It makes you look weak."

Sakura spun around and found Sasuke Uchiha leaning casually against the wall, smirking at her. Sasuke had done quite well after graduating, having started his own PR Company which was already very successful. And her? She was trapped in this vicious circle!

"Thanks for the advice. _Really. _But maybe, just maybe, you'd be struggling to contain your anger too if you were finding it impossible to get a job after studying for the best part of seven years after leaving school." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, and while she'd felt quite confident when she was speaking, she felt a thrill of dread as he pushed himself away from the wall and approached her, his face very serious.

He walked until he was standing right in front of her, then looked down into her eyes before speaking, "Work for me."

Sakura blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Work for me," he repeated. "You can work with the confidential files. That should be good enough experience, shouldn't it?"

Sakura contemplated this proposal- it certainly was what she needed. Tentatively, she reached out her hand and he grasped it in a firm handshake. She smiled. Surely working for Sasuke Uchiha would be an experience in itself.


	25. Ice

Ice

He was cold, just like ice. As a result, he wasn't particularly close to anyone. People respected him, but gave him a wide berth.

People were moving out of his way as he walked along the snow-covered street, wearing a smart grey suit and winter coat. They bowed their heads to him as they passed. He didn't acknowledge anyone, bored of the monotony, the lack of colour, the dull surroundings.

And then a flash of pink caught his eye, the only colour amongst all the grey. She was pressed against a wall, curled in on herself, hugging her legs. As he drew nearer, he noted the rags that were hanging off of her skinny frame. She was shivering, keeping her eyes down to avoid everyone who passed her as though she weren't even there.

He didn't know what made him stop in front of her but he noticed how she tensed before slowly raising her head to meet his gaze. He held his breath when they locked eyes, her emerald orbs throwing more colour into his black and white world. He shrugged off his coat and draped it around her shoulders. She stared at him in shock before opening her mouth.

"Thank you," she rasped. It sounded as though it had been a long time since she had last used her voice. He nodded and turned away. A strangled sound behind him made him turn around to find the girl getting to her feet, trying to offer the coat back to him. He frowned when he noticed her gaze flickering to a police officer glaring over at her. He sighed and approached her once more.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. Her eyebrows shot up and she shook her head as her stomach rumbled loudly. He reached for her hand and wearily, she slipped it into his. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha."

"S-Sakura," she stammered, her voice so faint, he barely heard her.

They walked together, hand-in-hand, in a comfortable silence and people gazed after them in amazement. This was the man with a demeanour of ice, yet this frozen girl had melted his heart.


	26. Loss

Loss

He could feel her eyes on him again and it was annoying him to no end, not helped by the fact that Naruto and Kakashi were both late... again.

"Stop looking at me like that!" he stated, turning to look at her.

Her eyes widened and she quickly plastered a smile on her face. One that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Looking at you like what, Sasuke-kun?" she asked innocently.

"Like I'm about to disappear!" he replied bluntly and he watched as the smile slipped from her face and the tears began to brim in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, lowering her gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry but I just keep seeing you on the bridge. I thought you were... I thought I'd lost... It hurt so much!" she exclaimed and her hands moved to hover over her chest in an unconscious gesture.

Sasuke sighed and looked away. She thought she'd lost him?

"Sakura," he spoke without looking at her but he knew that she'd snapped her head up when he'd addressed her. "The pain of loss... it's unbearable. When the time comes that you have to experience it," he raised his head this time to meet her wide eyes, seeing some of the tears that had trailed down her face. "I'll be there to share the burden with you. No-one should have to experience that pain alone."

For a moment, she couldn't speak, her face revealing her surprise. But then she smiled and carelessly wiped at her tears. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn."


	27. Commitment

Commitment

He committed himself to everything that he did. First, it was to becoming more powerful, then to killing his brother, thus avenging his clan. Now it was time to commit himself to restoring it.

But as the music started to play and he turned to see her walking down the aisle, realisation hit him like a blow to his chest. His bride was glowing- the white dress flattering her figure, accentuating her curves; her pink hair scraped back into an elegant bun; her smile impossibly big and her sparkling green eyes glued to his.

As she drew near, he reached for her hand, which she took gracefully, stepping beside him.

"You look beautiful Sakura," Naruto stage whispered from behind him and Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in irritation.

"No, she doesn't, Naruto," he growled before she could respond. His eyes never left her face so he saw the hurt there before he lowered his face to her ear and whispered, "You're breath-taking."

Her own breath hitched and when he pulled back, he smirked at her pink cheeks.

And as they turned to the Hokage for the ceremony to begin, Sasuke reflected on what he was about to do. This was not a commitment to restoring his clan. This was a commitment to the girl beside him; to love and cherish her; to protect her, and to spend the rest of his life making her happy. And he knew he would achieve that. After all, he always followed through on his commitments.


	28. Crime

Crime

It was Sakura who reported his first crime. Standing in front of the Hokage, shaking and sniffling, she stammered, "S-Sasuke's l-left the village. He's g-gone to O-Orochimaru."

The next major reports that they heard did not cause them much concern. He had killed Orochimaru. He had killed Deidara. He had killed Itachi. Those actions could have been his redemption but his next crime was too great.

"Sasuke Uchiha has joined Akatsuki. He has captured the Eight-tails."

Sakura prayed that he would see sense but the reports only grew worse.

"Sasuke Uchiha has infiltrated the five Kage summit."

"Sasuke Uchiha has killed the leader of ANBU Root and member of Konoha's council, Danzo."

Sakura listened to Shikamaru but hardly heard what he was saying. _'Why, Sasuke? Why do you keep adding to your crimes?'_

"Sakura," Shikamaru ended his speech. "We want your permission to kill Sasuke."

Her breath caught and the tears streamed down her face. It wasn't easy loving a criminal.


	29. Options

Options

Team Taka were moving through the forest when Karin alerted them to a weak chakra nearby. And then Sasuke felt it, an all too familiar chakra which he instantly led his team towards.

They dropped to the ground to surround the unconscious girl. She had apparently been in a battle though from what Sasuke could see, she wasn't seriously injured. She appeared to have collapsed as a result of chakra depletion.

'_Sakura,_' he thought, taking in her pink dishevelled locks, parted lips, slightly ripped and dirtied attire, and her bruised body.

"Heh, she's hot!" Suigetsu commented while Karin muttered something about her being nothing special. Neither noticed the way that Sasuke glared at them in response. Only Juugo frowned confusedly at his leader. "Sasuke?" he called tentatively.

Sasuke knew that he had several options. He could leave her here. Either she would come to and make her way back to the village, which she might reach in safety but she may encounter another enemy, forcing her to engage in another battle that she had no chance of winning. Or, the enemy may find her before she came to and kill her anyway. Somehow, not knowing what her fate would be didn't sit well with him.

So his next option was to kill her here himself. At least that way, he would know her fate. But he was surprised to find that he didn't really want to spill her blood.

He could take her to the village. Or at least bring her closer to the village so that her chances of getting there safely were improved, although this was a huge risk to him.

His last option was to take her with him. He knew that she had become very strong, and skilled in medical ninjutsu. At one time, she had begged him to take her with him.

"Sasuke?" Juugo repeated, looking for an answer to his unasked question. This time, Suigetsu and Karin were waiting too.

Sasuke sighed as he lifted his former teammate into his arms. He turned to his stunned team. "I've considered my options. Let's go."


	30. History

History

The chatter in the class died down instantly as the eccentric-looking teacher stepped up to the front.

"Yo!" the silver-haired man greeted casually, "And welcome to your first history lesson. My name is Kakashi Hatake; you may call me Kakashi-sensei and I'll be your history teacher this year. I thought that today, rather than throw lots of facts at you, you could get to know the history of your classmates. Work in pairs." And with a casual hand gesture to indicate that they should start, he sat down and pulled out a book.

Sakura turned towards the next desk to find its occupant sending their teacher a death glare. She smiled tentatively. "I'm guessing you don't want to do this?"

He turned his piercing gaze on her though it had softened slightly and he sighed. "Not really. You go first."

"There's not much to tell," she contemplated. "I'm Sakura Haruno, only child from a not very well-known family. You know, not from one of the prestigious clans or anything. I've had a pretty normal upbringing despite my abnormal hair colour." She ran a hand through her pink locks as she said this. "So quite a boring story really, much like history," she sniggered at her own joke then looked at him expectantly, noticing that his gaze had hardened again. "So, what's your history?" she prompted.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha," he started coldly and she gasped, causing him to roll his eyes. "Yeah, from the _prestigious _Uchiha clan. I had a normal childhood until I was about seven. My brother caused my parents' death. I've hated him ever since and effectively brought myself up." He turned to find her slightly teary-eyed and felt irritated at her for pitying him. He hoped he'd made her feel guilty for referring to her normal childhood as 'boring'.

Sakura cleared her throat and smiled again. "Well Sasuke Uchiha, it's nice to meet you. I hope to learn more about you and your history in this class." She offered her hand and Sasuke frowned at her for a moment but then smirked. '_Is she looking for a fresh start?'_ He thought about that for a moment and decided that he was willing to forgive her careless remarks.

"Likewise," he answered, shaking her hand.


	31. Festive

Author's Note: So I'm finally uploading the last one shot of the collection. I just want to thank everyone who has stuck with the collection to the end, and everyone who has favourited, followed and/or reviewed (thanks goes especially to Katsumi Hatake for your continued support throughout this project- I am so grateful!). I hope you have all enjoyed them, as I have really enjoyed writing them. Thank you all so much!

* * *

Festive

He really didn't know why he was here. Ino, Tenten and Lee were screaming out-of-tune Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. Naruto and Kiba were drinking mulled wine and getting louder by the minute. And everyone was wearing hats, antlers or tinsel making them look, in his opinion, ridiculous.

He spotted his pink-haired teammate, dressed in a sexy Santa outfit, making her way towards him. He raised his eyebrows as she stumbled- she had obviously had some mulled wine as well. She plopped herself into the seat next to his and, with a grin, held up a red velvet hat with a white fluffy trim and pompom. "Only the best for an Uchiha," she winked at him. He scowled at her and she giggled.

"I thought as much, so I got you this one too," she practically sang, now holding up a black felt hat with 'Bah humbug!' across its white trim. He let out a low growl and snatched the red hat from her. She only laughed. "I hope that helps you get into the festive spirit," she chuckled, standing up and turning to join the rest of the party when she felt a hand catch her wrist.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" she stuttered, her cheeks tinged pink with a combination of alcohol and surprise, especially when he tugged so that she fell almost onto his lap. "Sasu-!"

"Sakura," he interrupted, "didn't you notice where you were sitting?"

Sakura frowned confusedly before following his gaze to the ceiling where she spotted the mistletoe. Her mouth formed a perfect 'o' and Sasuke smirked.

"You owe me a Christmas kiss, Sakura," he whispered breathily and her jade eyes snapped to his onyx, apparently trying to determine whether or not he was teasing her. "I _am _in the festive spirit," he reassured her. Uncertainly, she leaned forward and he did the same until their lips were joined in a perfect Christmas kiss.


End file.
